EXTRACTS: The Modesty Blaise Companion Expanded Edition © 2018 The Book Palace (425 PAGES in Full edition)

E X P A N D E D E D I T I O N 393 T H E M O D E S T Y B L A I S E C O M P A N I VAUBOIS, René (continued) “THE SILVER MISTRESS” P 108 He is aware of the presumed death of Sir Gerald Tarrant in a motoring accident in the Tarn region of France while on his way to meet Modesty for a brief holiday. However, when Modesty suggests that he might still be alive, he at once arranges for her to have access to the Renseignments Généraux section of the Sûreté Nationale to see if she is able to identify the three men with whom she fought after finding Quinn. When she does so he agrees to try to have them arrested but they cannot be found. Much later he receives a telephone call from Fraser in the early hours of the morning alerting him to the actions Modesty and Willie have taken to try to rescue Tarrant from Chateau Lancieux. Arrives just after Willie has killed Colonel Jim. He is very stiff and formal. Willie introduces him to Lady Janet Gillam and Quinn and then complains bitterly about the way the French treat tourists. He is still very angry after all the double talk but Willie points out that this is only because he is worried about Modesty. Willie gives him the go ahead for his men to attack the Chateau and borrows his helicopter to pick up Modesty and Tarrant. “DRAGON’S CLAW” P 147 Following a request from Jack Fraser he confirms that Sir Gerald Tarrant’s agent, John Ryan, had been picked up in Sofia, transferred to the Lubyanka prison in Moscow and had contrived to commit suicide before his captors could interrogate him. His source inside the Lubyanka was unable to provide details. “THE XANADU TALISMAN” P 91 When invited to dine with Modesty at the apartment in Montmartre he tells her that Sir Gerald Tarrant is in Paris and she immediately extends the invitation to include him. Meets Dr. Giles Pennyfeather for the first time and like Tarrant he finds it difficult to understand what she finds attractive about him. He is told the whole story of the Xanadu Talisman and examines it without being able to help with understanding its significance. Provides substantial and detailed background information on both Bernard and Georges Martel from his official secret files. He also tells them of Bernard’s marriage to Tracy June Chilton and that she reportedly disappeared in the medina in Fez while they were on their honeymoon. Confirms that Bernard was convinced that Tracy June was still alive and had been abducted. “THE NIGHT OF MORNINGSTAR” P 58 Has put in one of his best SDECE agents to try to penetrate The Watchmen. The agent has not reported for ten days and is feared dead. VAUGHAN “SABRE TOOTH” P 228 One of the staff in Sir Gerald Tarrant’s department reporting on Baltic installations. Tarrant reads his report while waiting for John Dall to return his call concerning the message he has received from Modesty that his Minister has chosen to disregard. VAUBOIS, René (continued) “I, LUCIFER” P 30 His long stated wish to meet Modesty is at last granted when they dine together on a bateau-mouche on the Seine. Over dinner he presents her with a theoretical problem – how might governments be blackmailed by death threats to their officials? When Modesty questions him more closely and seriously he insists that it is no more than a fantasy, a mere bêtise. He was in fact one of the selections for death made by Lucifer and is on a list presented to his government by Seff. He has not told her this, neither has he told her that according to the threat he should have died a month ago. When he and Modesty disembark from the bateau-mouche later that evening two attempts are made to kill him, the first with a car bomb rigged by the Algerian bomb specialist Chulli, the second by a gang of men in Montmartre. He is an interested spectator, together with Stephen Collier, as both attempts are foiled by Modesty and Willie. He arranges for the removal of the two dead and four unconscious men Modesty and Willie leave behind after the second attempt. He later reports that unfortunately he has obtained no useful information from his prisoners. “A TASTE FOR DEATH” P 139 He advises Modesty and Willie that one of his men spotted Gabriel and McWhirter at Orly airport and followed them to Beauvais. Sets up arrangements for them to liaise with his people on the spot. It is a false lead and draws Modesty and Willie off, enabling Delicata to kidnap Dinah Pilgrim. Advises Modesty of the kidnap and that Gabriel and McWhirter have now returned to Orly and have caught a plane for Barcelona. “THE IMPOSSIBLE VIRGIN” P 104 Confirms to Modesty that Novikov and his wife had been granted asylum in France. Also that soon thereafter Novikov had flown to Uganda, leaving his wife in a small flat in Paris. He had hired a truck and supplies in Kampala, set off for an unknown destination and never been seen again. Madame Novikov had now rented a small farm in Pelissol, a village in the Dordogne. He had checked with the local gendarmerie and they had confirmed that she was still there. Drawn by Romero